


Gradual Steeping

by itbeajen



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Because Arthur's Merlin is a Female, College AU, F/M, Secondhand embarrassment, coffee shop AU, genderbent merlin, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-26 09:29:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20740001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itbeajen/pseuds/itbeajen
Summary: It takes a while to find the best flavor, or the best time to confess.





	Gradual Steeping

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own the Fate series or any of the characters that are mentioned. I am not making any profit from this fic and I write purely for the love of the characters. The Fate Series is the property of Type Moon.

The first time Gudako noticed him was when the small, quiet coffee shop she worked at was no longer quiet. There was a strange murmur in the air, filled with giggles and excited chatter as the customers all seemed to be staring at the front cashier. Gudako was confused at first, did she have something on her face? Was there something wrong with the display panels again? Yet when she finally made her way past the drink bar, she was stunned into silence by the beautiful duo before her.

The woman had long, fluffy white hair, wavy enough to resemble the ocean’s waves on a quiet night, yet fluffy enough to remind one of the warmth of being wrapped in a blanket by the fireplace. She had a flirty smile on her face, and it seemed as though the smile wasn’t just limited to males. While it was flirty, it was also definitely playful and carefree. The male that stood slightly behind her though had a worried expression on his face. But despite that concerning visage, it didn’t take away from the sheer handsomeness that was his entire being, and boy was he stealing the spotlight.

If Gudako could experience a “I’m meeting a celebrity” experience, that’s kind of how she felt laying her eyes on this man. He was pretty, yet also masculine. Anyone could see it beneath his simple long-sleeved turtleneck sweater. He was nicely toned, and his fluffy blonde hair framed his face so perfectly it made her jealous. 

_ No one should legally be allowed to look this good. Are these two models? _ Gudako wondered as they casually talked to each other about the menu. The female made eye contact with Gudako and easily made her way up to the cashier before flashing a bright smile, “Good evening!”

“Good evening!” Gudako greeted easily. She mirrored the bright smile on the girl’s face and she asked, “How could I help you today?”

“Could I get one nitro cold brew with sweet cream? And a hot earl grey latte?” 

“Of course, could I get your name please?” 

“It’s Merlin,” she winked before sliding over a bill, “You can keep the change cutie. I’ll see you soon!”

Merlin walked away from the counter, leaving Gudako stunned from the encounter. She’s had some strange customers in the store before, this was a new experience. She’s never seen so much buzz in the shop due to  _ two _ people.  _ They weren’t even celebrities! _ Gudako shook her head in slight amusement as she made her way to the drink bar to begin making their drinks. 

Meanwhile, Merlin has pulled Arthur away to a free table located at the window of the coffee shop. The sun was just beginning to set, casting a pinkish-orange hue over the already cozy looking coffee shop. The shop itself was a small hole in the wall, yet another locally owned coffee shop competing with the various big names all around. Yet it was prized and beloved by the college campus it was situated next to for having the most peaceful and quiet vibe that was perfect for studying,  _ and _ some of the best coffees (and teas) around. 

“The cashier was pretty cute, don’t you think so, Arthur?” Merlin asked. The girl leaned back in the booth, and sighed in comfort before pulling out her camera. Arthur gave her a strange look and shrugged, “I… guess? Don’t you think  _ everyone’s _ cute though?” 

Merlin pouted and pointed a playful finger at him and tutted, “Every person in the world has their own charm! You’re lucky your handsome.”

_ What do you mean, I’m  _ _ lucky _ _ ? _ Arthur almost pouted in response, but he was startled when he heard Merlin’s voice being called out from the front. Merlin wiggled her eyebrows and glanced over, causing Arthur to sigh in resignation as he made his way over to pick up their drinks. Gudako watched their interaction with amusement, and she could tell from how Arthur stretched his neck and rolled his shoulders that the poor boy was sore.

“Here are your drinks, sir!”

“Thanks,” Arthur politely replied with a smile. He took the tray holding the drinks and carefully made his way over to the table. Merlin let out a low whistle and smiled, “Ooh, look at that latte art! I need to take a picture of this.”

“You take a picture of all of our meals,” Arthur fondly shook his head as he set the drinks on the table. He glanced around before finding that most of the trays were returned to the bar front, but instead made eye contact with Gudako who quickly made her way over.

“I’ll take that from you!” Her voice was filled with reassurances and she quickly offered them a smile before exclaiming, “I hope you two enjoy your drinks. Please do let us know if anything needs to be changed though.”

“Oh, no, I think these are perfect, ma’am.” Merlin mumbled from behind her camera as she tried to find the right angle and focus. She bit her lower lip before mumbling, “This is perfect.” 

The sound of a picture being taken is clearly heard and Merlin pulls away from her camera with a bright smile. “Yup, perfect! Thank you so much!” Merlin’s voice trailed off as Gudako slightly bowed and made her way back. Merlin smiled and teased, “So, cute right?”

Arthur sighed and fondly smiled, “Can I have my tea now?”

“Yes, of course, your highness,” Merlin teased and rolled her eyes, “Only  _ you _ would have tea at a coffee shop wouldn’t you?”

Arthur pouted and murmured, “I like it.” He took a sip and his eyes widened ever so slightly before adding, “I think I’ll come back here again.”

***

They came in every day. Without fail, as the sun began to set, Gudako would notice the duo come in. Their first few visits would incur murmur and buzz, but over time, many of the regulars also got used to them as they too became regulars. She only knew one of them by name,  _ Merlin _ . The pretty girl who came in everyday with a new hair style. It’s not until she had accidentally asked out of curiosity that she discovered that Merlin was a freelancing photographer while also a college student.

She doesn’t know much about Merlin’s partner though. Besides the fact that he’s equally as good looking as she is, and that he carries a duffel bag every day, she doesn’t even know his name. Merlin never talks about him to her, and Merlin always just jokingly refers to him as “Your Highness”. 

_ Though I can’t blame her, he really does look like he could be a prince of some sort.. _ Gudako chuckled fondly, and with that she’s snapped back to reality facing no one other than Merlin. The white haired girl smiled brightly at Gudako and teased, “Were you daydreaming while on the job, Gudako?” 

“I was distracted,” Gudako laughed, “I have exams coming up, you know.”

“Ooh, of course you do, first year of college finals?”

“Mhm, do you want your usual?”

“Hmmm… I know our Highness does, do you recommend anything?”

Gudako hummed and Merlin clapped her hands, “Oh, what if I get two of what he usually gets? I’ve never tried it. He never lets me.” She pouted and Gudako tilted her head slightly in confusion. She would have thought he’d let her.  _ After all, aren’t they a couple? _ Gudako mentally shrugs and nodded, “So two earl grey lattes?”

“Yes please!”

“Okay! How’s photographing the fencing team going?” Gudako asked as she began setting up the order. Merlin chilled by the side while watching Gudako make their drinks. She hummed and shrugged, “Nothing usual, but they do have a match coming up soon, are you interested in going?”

“I probably can’t make it due to work,” Gudako laughed and shrugged, “I don’t think any of my friends are interested in fencing either.”

“We have a  bunch of cuties on the team though,” Merlin teased. Gudako laughed and shook her head fondly as she continued setting up. Merlin stopped teasing for a second and asked, “Are you sure you don’t want to? It’ll be a good way to destress, and you can finally see what I’m up to!”

“Mm, maybe next time?” Gudako weakly negotiated. She did want to go. As soon as she found out Merlin’s blonde hair companion was in their college’s fencing team, she was pretty interested, but she couldn’t just drop work and studies to go ogle at some pretty boy.  _ At least I get to stare at him all I want at the shop. _

“I’ll bring your drinks to your table when they’re done, Merlin. You don’t have to wait here.”

“Oh really? Thanks, cutie!”

Merlin made her way back to the table she shared with Arthur. He already had his laptop out and his glasses on while typing away. Merlin huffed slightly, “You’re always so dull, Art.”

“Huh?”

“You should get to know Gudako more! She’s cute and friendly, what’s so wrong with some new friends?”

“I just… don’t have the time,” Arthur weakly shrugged. Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed a reflection of Gudako flitter by and he sighed, “Besides, you know I’m not good with talking to girls.”

Merlin pointedly stared at him and he added, “You don’t count cause we practically grew up together, Merlin.”

“Okay, fair enough,” Merlin tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder and lectured, “I still think you should at least try to socialize with people a bit more!”

“Yeah, but…” Arthur’s voice trails off as he’s distracted by the reflection yet again. Gudako’s smile was so bright, so welcoming, and Arthur ducked his head, “It’s kind of hard…”

***

Merlin’s wish for Arthur to socialize with her favorite barista came sooner than she expected it though. It was a dark and gloomy night, and quite honestly, even Gudako wasn’t surprised that the shop was relatively empty. Everyone left as soon as they could, and had only stopped by to take shelter from the rain. Aside from the background music playing softly with the rain, Gudako was essentially alone. It was one of the rare moments where she could take a break from working at the bar to actually studying while working. 

But the ring of the bell signalling someone’s entrance snaps her out of her studies. She quickly closes her tablet and approaches the front. “Good eve- Oh!” Gudako stopped and quickly grabbed a clean towel, “You’re soaked, sir!”

“Ah, thank you.” The man was no other than Merlin’s companion and she quickly said, “Here, take this. You can place your umbrella by the door so the floor doesn’t get wet.”

“Thank you,” Arthur breathed out. He was honestly out of breath. Fencing practice had ran later than intended, and honestly he thought he’d escape the worst of the storm tonight. Fate had other plans for him though as it began pouring even harder as he approached the coffee shop. He was thankful for the warmth from the heating system and the dry towel from the barista. 

“Would you.. Like anything to drink, sir?” Gudako asked. A part of her already knew what he wanted, but out of consideration, she asked anyways. Arthur nodded and smiled, “The usual would be nice.”

“Of course, sir…” Gudako’s voice trailed off. It was a clear implication for him to offer his name and his eyes widened, “I’m- Uhm, I’m Arthur.” He sheepishly laughed, “I thought Merlin would have told you by now knowing how loud she is.”

The embarrassed smile on his lips made her heart flutter. _He’s cute…_ _wait-_ Gudako stopped in her tracks as her thoughts clearly went somewhere it shouldn’t have and she shook her head. _Snap out of it. Work first, work first! _

“Nice to finally meet you, Arthur.” Gudako extended a hand, and he hesitated slightly before taking it in his.  _ Small _ . That was all he could think of when he took her hand into his, and he smiled, “Yes, good to finally meet you, Gudako.”

Gudako didn’t want to rip her hand out of his, but honestly she was close to. A part of her couldn’t handle talking to Arthur face-to-face, and another part of her was just embarrassed by how she was reacting to him. 

_ He knows my name? Wait, him and Merlin are close, of course he would, but-  _ Gudako internally screamed, but stopped herself before she lost it.  _ Okay Gudako, calm down. I get it, he’s cute, but I need to calm down.  _ Gudako took in a deep breath, quickly calming herself down. Her smile was a bit faltering, but still bright enough to fool anyone. “You can take a seat and I’ll bring it right out. Make sure to dry off properly, okay?”

“Got it,” Arthur nodded. He watched as she walked away and couldn’t help it when a small smile snuck onto his face.  _ Merlin’s right, she is cute. _ He sat down at the bar side, all while watching Gudako as she began making his drink for him. It was quiet, but comfortably so. The rain that fell on the rooftop was calming, adding to the ambience to the coffee shop. Arthur settled comfortably into the chair as he lazily attempted to dry his hair, but opted to just drape it around his neck to make sure his jacket doesn’t get any wetter.

“Here you are,” Gudako softly called out as she slid the drink over. Arthur smiled brightly and took a sip. It was immediately followed by a satisfied hum. Gudako watched with a fond smile and asked, “So why do you always tea at the coffee shop?”

Arthur almost spat out his drink and Gudako quickly mumbled an apology before admitting, “I was just curious. No one ever orders the teas here besides you.”

“I don’t really like coffee,” Arthur weakly shrugged. He coughed slightly and asked, “Is it that weird? Merlin’s always on my case about that too.”

“Well, it’s more like… interesting choice instead of weird?” Gudako shrugged and added, “I think it’s more weird that Merlin always orders for you.” This elicited an immediate sigh and Arthur fondly shook his head, “She never knows what she wants until she gets to the counter. Meanwhile, I always want the same thing, so I just let her order and pay her back later.”

“Ooh,” Gudako paused and murmured, “That makes more sense.”

“Are you the only one in today?” Arthur asked. He had looked around before he got here and had thought there’d at least be another worker to help Gudako, but it was empty. Even the kitchen seemed empty. Gudako’s nod of her head was confirmation enough. He frowned, “On a day like this?”

“What do you mean?” Gudako was confused and she added, “I always close the shop.”

“Every day?” Arthur’s eyes widened when he saw her nod and he softly whispered, “No wonder you decline all of Merlin’s invitations to the fencing matches.”

“Well, there’s that and studying too,” Gudako added. She had her tablet out in front of her, absentmindedly responding to Arthur as her attention slowly shifted over to her studies. He glanced over and he said, “Oh,  _ that _ statistic class. It was the worse.”

“Right?” Gudako sighed, “This is the only class that I don’t get.”

Arthur hummed and checked his phone.  _ Still early. _ He scooted a bit closer, cleared his throat and looked away slightly. Gudako glanced up and he nervously offered, “I could… help you study with that if you want.”

“R-Really?!” Gudako leaned forward in excitement, and it startled Arthur how close she was. But if anything, it was his real chance to actually get a good look at her. She was really cute, and quite honestly, her personality was endearing. Arthur leaned back a bit and chuckled, “Yeah, at least until the rain stops.”

Gudako nodded as she made her way around the counter to sit by his side, and for once, she was kind of glad that the rain clouds had brought along some sort of silver lining.

***

“So, I heard that you studied with Gudako yesterday,” Merlin teased as she not-so-gently nudged Arthur. Arthur was sluggishly carrying his duffel bag as they made their way to the coffee shop. His lips slowly curled into a pout and Merlin laughed, “Oh come on, did you think I wouldn’t know? I talk to our favorite barista nearly every night. I help her with her psychology classes.”

“Since when did  _ you _ take psychology?” Arthur asked. Merlin shrugged, “I needed an elective.”

“So you’re in the same class as her?”

“Oh?” Merlin raised an eyebrow and teasingly sang, “Aren’t  **you** curious?”

Arthur’s cheeks flushed red and he muttered, “I am not!”

“Oh, sure, of course you aren’t,” Merlin laughed as Arthur opened the door to the coffee shop. Gudako glanced up and her smile was brighter, more so than the usual days, “Good evening Merlin, Arthur!”

“Good evening, cutie!”

“G… Good evening, Gudako,” Arthur greeted back. His tongue was tied, and it was really all thanks to the amount of teasing that he was subjected to from Merlin. Gudako noticed and asked, “Did you practice too hard today? You’re kind of flushed.”

Before Arthur could respond, Merlin laughed, “Oh he  _ always _ practices too hard. Not sure who he’s trying to impress though.”

“We have a  _ tournament _ coming up,” Arthur answered. There was clearly a line of irritation on his forehead, but no one would have noticed if they weren’t close enough. Merlin laughed and asked, “Could we get the usual?”

“Of course, I’ll be right there.”

Merlin dragged Arthur over to the table and upon sitting down, she winked. Arthur internally groaned and he whispered, “Stop embarrassing me, Merlin!”

“Oh please, Arthur. Me? An embarrassment? You wound me, your Highness.” Merlin teased shortly. Her tone changes though and she asked, “Are you really not going to ask her to go to the match?”

“She has exams.”

“Oh yes, and you would know that after talking to her exactly  _ one _ time,” Merlin whined and added, “Come on, it’d be nice if she could watch you.”

Arthur didn’t want to admit that the idea did kind of appeal to him. But he learned all about Gudako’s schedule last night. She worked whenever she wasn’t taking classes, and she closed the store almost 4 out of the 5 days she worked. He sighed, “Maybe when she’s more free.”

“Oh fine, you prude,” Merlin sighed. Her attention shifts away from Arthur, and she can’t stop herself from smiling as a great idea suddenly popped up into her mind. As Gudako approached them, Merlin smiled as she always did - bright and welcoming, and  _ always _ with a hint of flirtiness. 

“Here are your drinks, a nitro cold brew with sweet cream for you, Merlin,” Gudako gently placed the drink onto Merlin’s side of the table, but as soon as she turned slightly to face Arthur, Merlin gently bumps her leg against Gudako, causing the girl to spill the tea all over Arthur’s duffel bag. 

“Oh no!” Merlin feigned shock and Gudako stood there in pure shock as she stammered, “O-Oh my god! I’ll clean that up right away-”

“Wait, it’s still hot, don’t burn yourself!” Arthur stood up to stop her, and it nearly tipped over Merlin’s drink which she barely caught in time. Her facade nearly fell apart at that moment, but upon seeing Arthur and Gudako frantically trying to help each other, she couldn’t help but let a small smile slip. 

“You’re okay right?” Gudako asked Arthur as she stood up after cleaning up to the best of her ability. The latte clearly seeped into Arthur’s bag though. His fencing equipment was stained and quite honestly, Gudako felt horrible. Arthur nodded and sighed, “This is going to be a pain to clean.”

“I-I can clean it for you!”

“No, no, it’s-” 

Arthur’s cut off as Merlin’s foot casually makes contact with the back of his thighs and she cut in, “Oh, would you be kind enough to clean his stuff up for him? He has a tournament coming up in two days, but he’ll need these cleaned up in time for practice and all.”

“Of-Of course! I’ll make sure to clean these up and return them to you before your next practice starts! I live just down the street so I- I’ll just-” Gudako’s brain temporarily short circuited, and upon hearing the commotion, her manager came out in confusion. 

“EVerything okay out here, Gudako?”

“Yes, Miss Da Vinci! Just a spillage, I’ll handle it!”

Da Vinci frowned and she nodded, “I trust you, make sure to properly compensate for the mistake.”

“Y-yes, ma’am!” Gudako answered with a 90 degree bow. As soon as she heard the door closed, Gudako let out a long sigh before crouching down on the floor and cleaning up the rest. Merlin frowned and asked, “Will you be okay?”

“Ah.. yes, I will!” Gudako managed to smile and she glanced over at Arthur, “I’m really sorry about what happened. I’ll clean this up and I’ll return it to you once they’re clean.” She grabbed the duffel bag while Arthur was still tending to the pain on his thigh. As soon as she left, he shot a glare at Merlin, “What was that for?”

“I’m  _ helping _ ,” Merlin answered. She was in thought though and she sighed, “I hope I didn’t get our dear Gudako in trouble.”

“Was that all on purpose?”

“No, of course not!” Merlin frowned, “How could you ever accuse me of such vile actions?”

Arthur narrowed his eyes at his childhood friend, before sighing, “Don’t do it again.”

Merlin shrugged and she said, “If Gudako doesn’t clean your stuff, we won’t make it back to your apartment to clean it. It’s a good idea.”

“I feel bad,” Arthur complained. Merlin rolled her eyes, and she said, “It’s okay, I’ll text her the details and everything so you get them before practice tomorrow morning. Don’t worry so much.”

Arthur frowned, but truly, he was more worried about Gudako. But he couldn’t just say that out loud without suffering more consequences from the being known as Merlin. He shook his head and mumbled, “If you say so, just don’t do this again okay?”

Merlin pouted and she sighed, “Fine, but I was trying to help you.”

Arthur glared at her and she teased, “You’d be hopeless without me.”

“I would not!”

***

_ Merlin did not warn me that the gymnasium was on the other side of campus… I’ve never even been here before!  _ Gudako was stunned into confusion as she took her first step onto the sports related side of the college campus. It wasn’t even a part of the main campus either, and it really baffled her how she went nearly a whole year of college without knowing the gymnasium was located this far away from the actual school campus.  _ No wonder Merlin always complained about her feet hurting after walking from campus to the gym. Ah, but… _ Gudako glanced at her watch and muttered, “I’m going to be late at this rate.”

But despite her determination and desire to help, she felt like she wasn’t really doing much. She was lost. This part of campus was just as big as the other side, and what’s worse, all the buildings were starting to look the same to her. She readjusted the duffel bag that was sitting on her shoulders, and just as she was about to call Merlin, she received a call from an unknown number. 

_ I should decline the call.  _ Gudako muttered as she attempted to swipe it away, only to answer it mistakenly.  _ Oh- oh no.  _

“Uhm, hello?” Gudako timidly answered. There was the sound of wind and the clattering of a door closing before she heard a familiar, “Gudako, is this… uhm, is this your number?”

“Ar...thur?” Gudako mumbled and then repeated, “Wait, Arthur?”

“Yeah, hi, it’s me. Uhm,” Arthur sheepishly scratched the back of his head as he glanced around, “Are you on campus?”

“I am, I’m kind of lost though. I’m not sure where the gym is…” Gudako weakly admitted. She could hear Arthur sigh, and she almost felt like shrinking in on herself. “I’m so sorry about all the trouble Merlin caused you, Gudako. Can you tell me where you are?”

“E-Eh?”

“Merlin put you up to this, but she clearly didn’t give you specific enough instructions. Could you describe your surroundings? I’ll go to you.”

“No, but I-”

“It’s fine,” Arthur chuckled, “It’s the least I can do, so?”

“I’m… I’m by a pure glass building. There’s a half circle driveway leading up to it, and there’s a lot of sunflowers lining the road.”

“Ah, okay I know where you are, just stay there and find a bench or something. I’m sure the bag was heavy to carry, I’ll be there soon okay?” Arthur’s voice was cutting in and out as Gudako could hear the wind brushing past. She nodded, and then paused for a second before responding, “O-okay.”

She heard the click of the phone and quickly found a bench that was situated beneath a tree. The shade gave her reprieve from the sunlight, and it gave her a chance to appreciate how nice today was. The breeze that tickled her hair and played with the leaves above her made the sunflowers dance to its path. 

“Gudako?” 

Gudako turns around, to see Arthur approaching. He was slightly out of breath, not so much that it was noticeable, but he was clearly running to meet up with her. A smile is evident on his face as soon as she turned to face him, and she couldn’t help but to mirror the expression.

“Arthur! I’m-”

“I’m so sorry about the trouble,” Arthur beat her to it. He slowly approached and took the duffel bag from her. He weakly smiled, “It wasn’t too heavy was it?”

Gudako shook her head and got up from the bench, “Nope, almost as heavy as the usual shipments the shop gets.”

“That’s good,” Arthur let out a breath of relief and smiled, “Let me walk you back to the entrance, just to make sure you don’t get lost again.”

Gudako’s cheeks flushed a slight pink at the accusation and she mumbled, “It’s not my fault this side of campus is so big! And there aren’t enough signs or indications as to where I am.”

Arthur nodded in agreement, “Yeah, this place is pretty big, I’m surprised you made it this far in. You walked past the actual gymnasium. It’s over here, to your left.” He gestured at the huge building and Gudako mumbled, “I should’ve known it’d be the biggest building here, of course it would.”

Arthur laughed, “It’s alright, Merlin got lost her first time here too. Speaking of which, I’m really sorry about what happened the other day, Merlin was just…” Arthur trailed off.  _ What, am I supposed to tell Gudako that Merlin was trying to help me talk to her? That’s just… dumb.  _

“Merlin was just…? What was she doing?” Gudako asked, she frowned, “Your girlfriend is weird, Arthur.”

“G-Girlfriend?!” Arthur nearly tripped on the stairways leading up towards the entrance of the sports side of the campus. Gudako reached out to help steady him and he asked, “What made you think we’re dating?!”

“You’re… not?” Gudako stupidly murmured. Arthur frantically shook his hand and waved his hand back and forth to emphasize that  **no,** they were not dating. He sighed, “I guess we do look like that to strangers since Merlin has no sense of personal space…” 

Gudako nodded and asked, “So there’s nothing between you two?”

“Of course not,” he declared. His face turned dark and he muttered, “There’d be a problem with my mind if I was dating her.”

“That’s a relief then!” Gudako murmured. She immediately clamped her hands over her mouth though, upon realizing what she just said. She glanced over at Arthur, and upon seeing the flush of pink on his face, she timidly asked, “Did you-”

“Well, I- I didn’t mean… to…” 

They both looked away from each other and Gudako mentally screeched.  _ Why did you do this to yourself, Gudako?!!?!?! Why would you say that out loud?! He’s only nice to you because you two are friends - wait,  _ Gudako paused in her tracks as Arthur slowly continued climbing the stairs,  _ Are we even friends? _

Arthur glanced back, a slight flush of pink still evident on his cheeks and he asked, “Is… is everything okay?” No response. He shuffled his feet back and forth slightly and offered, “I can just forget you said that part, I don’t want it… to… well,” he paused and softly admitted, “I don’t want it to ruin our friendship.”

“So we are friends?”

“Huh?” Arthur looked at her in surprise and he stammered, “O-Of course we are! Aren’t…. Aren’t we?”

Gudako’s embarrassment faded for a second at the happiness from just that single statement. A bright smile took over her features and she nodded, “We are!”

Arthur smiled in relief and he sheepishly laughed, “Thank goodness.”

Gudako made her way up the steps and upon reaching the bus stop, Arthur asked, “I guess I’ll see you at the shop later tonight?”

“Yeah, I’ll have your usual ready as always,” Gudako smiled. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and Arthur finally took a look at her. She wasn’t wearing her usual work uniform, and he couldn’t help but think that her casual outing wear suit her nicely. It framed her stature perfectly and she looked cuter than usual. He cleared his throat as the bus started approaching and asked, “Will- Will you go to the fencing match that’s coming up this weekend?!”

Gudako’s eyes widened, and Arthur added, “It’ll be after your finals, so… could you?”  _ For me? _ Gudako hesitated before shyly nodding, “I’ll see you.” She got onto the bus and Arthur waited and watched until the bus drove off and turned the corner. He sighed and crouched down onto the floor, covering his face with his arms. 

_ I really hope I see her this weekend. _

***

_ I think this is the right location. _ Gudako glanced around, and upon seeing a fluffy white ponytail, she knew she was in the right place.  _ Oh, there she is! _

“Merlin!”

“Oh, Gudako! You made it right on time! Didn’t have too hard of a time getting here this time right?”

Gudako pouted and she answered, “No, Arthur was kind enough to give me a map unlike somebody here.” Gudako teasingly poked at Merlin’s side and the older girl laughed, “Well, at least you made it here on time. There he is,” Merlin pointed at one of the many silver-clad figures on the gymnasium floor. “His match is the last one of today, but it’s starting right now. But…” Merlin trailed off, “His opponent won’t last too long, as always.”

And Merlin was right. Arthur won his match effortlessly, and as soon as he did, he took off his helmet, and the crowd immediately began cheering. Everyone was slowly making their way towards the gymnasium floor and Arthur was keeping his eyes peeled for his childhood friend and the girl who currently has stolen his heart away. 

“Let’s go meet up with him down there, I don’t think he sees us,” Merlin whispered to Gudako as the two of them slowly stood up. But Merlin was proven wrong as Arthur made eye contact with her and immediately made his way through the crowd to the two girls. As soon as he approached them, he stopped before Gudako. It was almost as though time had stopped for the two of them, and Merlin slowly stepped away from the two of them, all while signalling for the rest of the team to not approach them. 

Arthur smiled and softly stated, “I won.”

“You did,” Gudako hesitantly answered. A smile was evident on her face and she continued, “You were amazing out there.”

“I… Thank you,” Arthur sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck and he laughed, “You didn’t get lost this time right?”

“No!” Gudako pouted, “You and Merlin are both so mean!” 

Arthur burst out laughing at her outburst and he slowly approached until he was standing eye level with her and he brightly smiled, “I can always find you if you get lost though.”

“Are you sure you can?”

“Yeah, I…” Arthur hesitated and he mumbled, “I keep finding myself gravitating towards you.”

“E-Eh?”

“I just…” Arthur hesitated again, and there’s a clear flush of red that’s slowly creeping up his neck to his ears, and now his cheeks. “I always thought you were cute, and after getting to know you… I just- I started to like you more and-” Arthur bit his bottom lip, “And then Merlin found out.”

“O-Oh.” Gudako’s glee at hearing that he liked her deflated slightly, but before she could ask how Merlin was related, Arthur sighed, “And so Merlin tried to set us up together. But you know… I don’t know if it worked out, but I just… I just wanted to let you know that… I like you.”

“So… you do like me.”

“Yes, I like you.” It was hard for him to confess, but he wanted her to know. He had practiced hard every day, both to win the tournament, and to win over his own doubts and hesitations about his feelings towards Gudako. His hands were shaking slightly and he asked, “Would you… Would you go out with me?!”

Gudako’s eyes widened, and she softly asked, “With you?”

“Y-Yes, with me.”

There was silence for a few seconds as Gudako slowly processed all that happened. And before she realized it, her body moved before her thoughts could properly form a coherent answer and she wrapped her arms around his waist, nearly knocking him over if it weren’t for the fact that he had reacted in time. 

“Yes!”

“Really?!”

Gudako nodded and Arthur laughed in relief before picking her up and spinning her around slightly. He placed her down quickly, before she got hurt and he chuckled, “Thank you for giving me a chance.”

“Well, we have to thank Merlin for that, don’t we?”

“I… guess we do,” Arthur sighed in resignation. He let go of her and gently took her hands in his.  _ Small, but warm. Just like how he remembered.  _ He smiled, “Well then, let’s go, shall we?”

**Author's Note:**

> I know that Merlin is canonically male in Fate/Grand Order universe, but Arthur's Merlin was not male, Arthur's Merlin was female. So I decided to roll with that so that it felt more... linear in terms of how many universes I was pulling out of to bring into this AU. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this! :D


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